Too Late
by Agent H.E.R.O
Summary: Why did Killer Frost change her mind last minute in the battle against Savitar? What if she was just a second too late. Takes place during the season 3 finale.
1. Chapter 1

Spoilers for Season 3 Finale

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

What if Caitlin was a little slow saving Cisco? Because I wanted some explanation for Killer Frost changing her mind when she seemed pretty bent on killing Cisco.

Gypsy could see it all happening from where she was lying on the ground. She cringed but couldn't look away. Just when she started to make a new friend, he was being taken away from her from some time remnant with a God complex. And where were those other friends of his? The three speedsters? How fast could they be if they couldn't save her Cisco?

And that bitch.

She glared at her. Killer Frost was shifting on her feet as if she almost looked, nervous?

"He's going to kill him, help him please!" She screamed

In the span of those three point six seconds from when Gypsy yelled to when Savitar pushed his hands through the chest wall Killer Frost had a memory. A memory of the first time Cisco put on those goggles. It was the same situation, Dr. Wells was putting his hand through her best friend's chest. She remembered Joe laughing at Cisco's shirt remark, remembered Barry getting angry. She could remember Cisco's screaming, he was saying the exact same words,

" _He's going to kill me! Help me, please someone help me!"_

He was screaming now the same way he did that night when he almost stroked out. Feelings of warmth flooded her senses when Cisco had sat up, shaking but alive.

She felt a rock in the pit of her stomach, she had to do something or he was going to die. She couldn't let Cisco die, at least not like this. Everyone else on Team Flash had tried to fight her, tried to change her, but Cisco had always merely wanted to talk, had always wanted to reconnect. He was her best friend, even now. Something snapped in her former self.

Savitar shoved through Cisco's chest. Vibe was screaming, and Killer Frost finally hit Savitar with an ice blast. Cisco fell from Savitar's hand. He lay eerily still and quiet upon the wet grass. A growing stain of red spread across his jacket. She was too late, her epiphany had come too late.


	2. Chapter 2

Not Killer Frost, not Caitlin didn't know what she was doing back at STAR Labs, back in her white coat that still hung on the fourth hanger next to the door. What she did know was that Cisco would live. He would live, but he would need a lot of rehab and somehow she knew she had to be the one to help him. After all she was the one person who was too late.

She thought about that first night after they came back from defeating Savitar, nearly a week ago now. She felt the old camaraderie coming back together. Cisco had needed surgery and quickly. Julian donned surgical gloves right after her. His hands didn't shake this time, not in the same way they did when he operated on her. Barry, Iris, Joe, and Wally all stayed. Gypsy left shortly after hearing he was alive. She could see the tears gathering at the corner of Gypsy's eyes. The young woman had stood up shakily and said she needed to feed her cat before opening a breech and stepping through. She knew what Gypsy was feeling, astonishment, shock, maybe denial, the same way she felt for Ronnie. When her and Julian came out of the surgical suite she could tell no one was talking. Barry's thumbs twined around themselves. Iris' head fell on Barry's shoulder, her mouth slack, asleep. Wally's head was leaning back against the wall, also asleep. Joe however was still up.

"He's going to be okay"

Father and son exhaled in unison. She told them to go home, get some rest, take care of themselves, Cisco wouldn't be waking up for at least a full day.

Julian wheeled Cisco into the med bay. He double-checked the IV infusing, and vitals. Then he cleaned him up and exchanged his torn shirt and bloodied jacket into a patient gown. Now Cisco looked at least somewhat presentable and not like a victim that came out of a horror movie. Julian couldn't help it. Sure him and Cisco bickered over nearly everything, but when it came down to the wire, they were a team now. He sat down on the stool next to the bed and suddenly found his eyes incredibly heavy. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up to see her wavy white hair and brown eyes.

"You should get some rest too. There's nothing else we can do for him tonight,"

Julian wanted to talk to her so much, had so many things to say, but he was about to fall off this chair, barely keeping his eyelids open. With a quick nod he grabbed his coat and left.

And then there was Her and Cisco.

That first night felt so long. She lost count of how many coffees she drank going over Cisco's file, mapping out a plan of care, wondering what his first words to her would be upon waking up. He looked so young, the blankets covering most of his body, and both his arms entangled with IV lines. He _was_ young she reminded herself. Slowly, his heart rate monitor began to sound more like a lullaby and her head found it's way to the table with his file pushed off to one side.

-FLASH-FLASH-FLASH-FLASH-

Cisco couldn't remember how he started vibing. All he knew was that the vastness of the multiverse stretched before him. He didn't know where to go, didn't know what was happening to him. He wanted to feel safe, secure, among familiar places and faces. And out appeared Harry, on Earth-2, in his workshop probably, tinkering with some new tech and low and behold he was there. Cisco walked towards the man, simultaneously watching Harry push up his glasses, rake a hand through his hair, and then as if on cue he turned around.

"Ramon, what are you doing here? Are you…vibing?"

The young adult blinked a few times.

"I'm not really sure," He clutched at his head feeling a migraine coming on.

"What happened with Savitar? Do you need help?" Harry was already grabbing his bag at the adjacent counter.

Cisco shrugged his shoulders

"I think...I don't really remember."

Harry put down his bag and took a single step toward Cisco.

"Your shirt, it's torn over your heart,"

Cisco pulled at the fabric of his shirt, studying the frayed edges.

"Huh, it is"

Harry figured it out before the memories could flood Cisco's mind. Savitar must've vibrated through his heart.

"Am I dead?"

Harry shook his head while wondering at the same time how Ramon was staying so calm.

"If you were dead you wouldn't be here now,"

But neither of them could deny the growing stain on his ripped shirt.

"Harry, I feel…weird,"

Harry tried to put his hands on Cisco's shoulders but they phased through. Vibe dropped to his knees.

"I want you to focus on Earth-1. Think about all your friends there, your family. Think about the characteristics,

Cisco shuddered; he was fading. He looked up at Harry and could see dots of sweat appearing on the forehead. If Harry was worried this was definitely not good.

"Focus Cisco, you can do this!"

That snapped him into it. He closed his eyes, did exactly what Harry told him. He thought about his workspace, about the various gadgets of his littered all over the desk. He thought about Caitlin and her now snow blonde hair. Barry popped into his mind soon after, the Flash suit, his vibe goggles, Jitters. Then the world turned sideways and went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Thank you for all the reviews!

Ch3

"He's seizing!"

Cisco had been steady for nearly a week, until now. Blood poured down his nose, his limbs thrashing, a growing red stain appearing on his gown. She ordered Julian to hand her a benzo, and cut down the gown, seeing ripped stitches. Shit, he was bleeding again.

"Barry, hold pressure,"

She took the offered benzo and infused it. Cisco calmed. Barry now held a saturated pad, blood oozing around the side. She swatted his hand away and quickly placed more stitches. The benzo would only last so long. So Frost did the only thing she could think of, looked at scans of Cisco's brain and tried to figure out a way to stop the seizures permanently. Then she heard the soft click of Gypsy's heeled boots.

"Is there any way you could vibe into his mind? See if maybe you could stop his vibing?"

Gypsy's eyes shifted around the lab, as if looking for an escape route.

"I've never done anything like that, I don't even know if I can"

Frost crossed her arms, "Well I can't do anything else for him here," They both turned to see Cisco emit a low groan and start shaking again.

With a sigh, Gypsy dragged over a chair, and placed a hand on his forehead, focusing on his unique frequency, one so similar to hers she could barely tell them apart.

Darkness, no light, sludge pulled at her limbs. She fought it, kicking, and punching, until finally she could walk. She couldn't see where she was walking, but anything was better than there. Finally, a few paces later she saw a green patch of land, could hear the sound of a waterfall. Jogging now, she found Cisco by a waterfall that ended in a mini lake. The noise deafened her, dulled her senses. He was sitting on a patch of grass, staring into the pool of water.

"Cisco?" Her pace slowed, but her breath hitched.

He didn't turn around. She came up next to him, stared at the brilliant blue water trying to see what he did.

"I couldn't save them,"

"Who?" She asked, her fingertips touching the water.

"Dante, Caitlin,"

The water crashed down harder over the edge of the waterfall.

"You can't save everyone," she placed her now wet fingertips on Cisco's shoulder. He finally turned to meet her gaze.

"All your friends are working hard to save you,"

A single tear slid down his cheek.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore," she took his hand in both of her own.

"I'm here with you,"

Gypsy knew these things couldn't be forced. She thought of when she lost her first partner. She had been in a similar place, not literally, but figuratively, a shell of her former self, not eating, not sleeping, nearly comatose.

"Your speedsters miss you. Even your frosty friend is trying to save you,"

The waterfall quieted. He shook his head, tore his hand from hers.

"My powers, I can't control them, and I'm always so-"

"So what?" The mist from the lake sprinkled her face.

"So…scared,"

She looked back into the lake, there was an image peeking through; it looked like the med bay on Earth-1. And as much as she hated swimming, she would do it for Cisco.

"Staying here isn't the answer, we can work through this. Maybe I'll even let you buy me a coffee,"

He broke into a smile, a tiny one, but one nonetheless. She dipped her legs into the water, feeling the tug of the water. The water felt cool and refreshing, buoying her up.

"Come with me Francisco,"

She plunged further in, the water slipping past her breasts, her hair splaying out behind her. His breath quickened, it was time to go back, to leave his place of comfort. He jumped in, resurfaced once, and grabbed Gypsy's hand.


End file.
